russian dolls

Two popular cult films have been released sequels within the last year. Richard Linklater brought out his successful sequel to ‘Before Sunrise’ with ‘Before Sunset’ with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reprising their roles. Now Cedric Klapisch has released his appealing sequel to the hugely entertaining ‘Spanish Apartment’, ‘Russian Dolls’.
In ‘Spanish Apartment’ the main character Xavier is a young French student who leaves his family home and goes to live in Barcelona for a year. The Barcelona experience is an exciting one for him, including sharing an apartment with six other young people from different countries, and having a passionate affair with a married woman, and outgrowing his old girlfriend.
‘Russian Apartment’ takes up Xavier’s story five years later. Xavier is coming up to thirty years of age, and believes that it is time to get serious. His working and romantic lives are challenging. Xavier is finding it difficult to make a living out of his career as a freelance journalist. (There are some amusing scenes come about as a result of this scenario). He is also attempting to get his love together.
As is suggested by the film’s title, Xavier is looking for his true Russian Doll. He believes he has to go through different part dolls/women till he finds the whole complete woman.
Klapisch’s sequel was another fine, entertaining, big hearted, very relatable film. The film complements intimate romantic scenes with plenty of humour, and some colourful, quirky characters. Good humour is laced through the film. Romain Duris as Xavier is again an impressive, confident lead, and there is an impressive supporting cast.
Two of Xavier’s flatmates from his Barcelona days, Brits Wendy, played beautifully by Kelly Reilly, and her brother William played by Kevin Bishop, play prominent parts in the film. Klapisch rounds out his sequel with all of the Barcelona flatmates having a reunion in Russia’s; St Petersburg for William’s wedding to his ballerina love, Natasha.